Chief Justice confirms plans to leave country

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has planned to travel abroad on October 13, the Law Ministry secretary said reading a letter on Tuesday afternoon.

Secretary ASSM Zahirul Haque told reporters that the letter from the chief justice to President Md Abdul Hamid reached the law ministry in the afternoon.

“The chief justice has sent the letter to us to inform the president that he will be travelling abroad. The letter will be forwarded to the President soon,” the secretary said.

Justice Sinha’s sick leave following criticism by the ruling Awami League leaders over the 16th amendment appeals verdict have been a matter of interest among political stakeholders, many claiming that the CJ was put on forced leave.

The BNP alleges that the government has forced CJ Sinha to go on the one-month leave just three months before his retirement for delivering the verdict repealing parliament’s powers to sack judges.

The government denies the allegation.

Awami League leaders say there is no connection between the verdict and the leave.

The news of Justice Sinha’s plan to travel abroad came out on October 7.

A Supreme Court source said Justice Sinha and his wife Sushma Sinha got Australian visa for three years and they would stay at their eldest daughter Suchana Sinha’s house there.

Referring to the chief justice’s letter to the President, the law secretary said the Chief Justice would leave Dhaka on October 13 and return on November 10.

Sinha took charge as the Chief Justice on January 17, 2015 and his tenure was to end on January 31 next year.

According to the leave application that Law Minister Anisul Huq had showed the media, the chief justice wants to take rest until November 1 due to health issues.

Justice Abdul Wahhab Miah, the most senior judge after the chief justice in the Appellate Division, is standing in as chief justice now.